Pressure switch



June 14, 1960 v. sussm PRESSURE SWITCH Filed Jan. 28, 1955 w m V z 4 I'm Km ms m V m5 R o T c v Y B a 4 8 4 n G 4 4 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent PRESSURE SWITCH Victor Sussin, River Forest, 111., assignor, by mesne assignmerrts, to General Controls Co., Glendale, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Jan. 28, 1955, Ser. No. 484,684

3 Claims. (Cl. 200-83) This present invention relates generally to pressure switches of the type used to regulate the water level in domestic automatic washing machines, and in particular relates to a pressure switch in which the control point is adjustable and means are provided to reset the switch each time the control point is adjusted.

Control of the water level, in the operating cycle of automatic washing machines can be accomplished by use of apressure switch, responding to the pressure head of the water in the washing machine. In these devices when the water level has reached the required height, the switch contacts are tripped open, stopping flow of water into the machine. Particularly in domestic automatic washing machines, it becomes advantageous to provide a pressure switch for this purpose in which the control point is adjustable. Thus, in the case where only a small load is to be washed, to avoid use of an unnecessarily large quantity of hot water, the water level in the machine may be considerably lower than that required when the machine is loaded normally. One suitable arrangement providing a water level adjustment has the pressure switch manually settable in either a low, medium, or high water level position.

In pressure switches of this type the water level adjustments may be accomplished by varying the spring loading on the pressure responsive element or diaphragm, the high level setting corresponding to the maximum spring loading of the diaphragm. Arrangement must also be made for adjusting, or calibrating the Water lever or pressure at which the pressure switch is reset as water is withdrawn from the machine. This reset valve of course, is independent of the water level adjustment since, no matter to what level the machine has been filled, it must always be emptied before the subsequent spin-drying portion of the washing cycle is begun.

With the manual water level adjustment set at low position and with the tub filled to the correspondingly proper level and the switch in tripped position, if it is desired to change the water level to a higher value, the medium setting for example, provision must be made for resetting the switch back to its reset position. Since water can be admitted to the machine only when the switch is in reset position, and since the additional load increment placed on the diaphragm by changing the level adjustment from, for example, low position to medium" position is insufficient, itself, to return the switch to reset position, a resetting mechanism is necessary. This resetting function may be accomplished by mechanically actuating the switch to its reset position each time the water level adjustment is changed.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a pressure switch, of the type above described, having provision for manual water level adjustment and an arrangement for resetting the switch upon each water level adjustment which can be accomplished by a manual operator having only limited rotational freedom.

A further object is to provide a rugged and simply the reset point may be independently adjusted.

ICE

These and other objects of the present invention can be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying specification in which:

Figure 1 represents a side view, partially in section, of the pressure switch.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view of the adjusting cam.

Referring principally to Figure l, a base 10 and a cupshaped housing or cover member 11 form a switch enclosure. A flexible diaphragm 12 overlies the base 10 and. forms a pressure chamber beneath the diaphragm 12. The base 10 is provided with a pressure inlet connection 14. A plate 15 overlies the central portion of the diaphragm and is positioned thereon by protrusions 16 which are formed from the diaphragm 12 and extend through appropriate openings in the plate 15. A thrust member 17, in the form of a tongue struck from plate 15, extends upwardly from plate 15.

Member 17 is adapted to abut the switch actuating arm which is central compression member 19 of a conventional snap-switch assembly, having tension members 20 and 21, a C-shaped compression spring 22, and a moveable contact 23 mounted at the free end of the snap switch assembly. The other end of the switch assembly is mounted on member 11 by means of a rivet 25, the adjacent area of member 19 forming the effective pivot for member 19. A lower arm 26 carries a fixed contact 27 adapted to cooperate with moveable contact 23. An adjusting screw 28 is threaded through member 11 and its inner end bears against, and positions, the free end of arm 26, the other end of arm 26 being secured to member 11 by means of a rivet 29 (Figure 2). An upper contact arm 31 is also secured to member 11 by a rivet 32 (Figure 2) and has its free end upturned to bear against the cover member 11. Arm 31 carries, adjacent its free end, a fixed contact 33, adapted to cooperate with moveable contact 23.

At its upper, central portion cover member 11 has an opening within which a spring retainer member 34 is slidably received. A compression spring 36, a loading spring, extends between member 34 and compression member 19. A reset member or pin 35 extends freely through member 11 and has one end resting on member 19 at a point on member 19 somewhat closer to its fixed mounting (rivet 25) than is spring 36.

A generally U-shaped bracket 37 is rigidly mounted, by any suitable means, on the top of cover member 11. An adjusting shaft 38 is journaled in the legs of bracket 37, and carries at one end a cam 39, rigidly secured to shaft 38. A portion of shaft 38, at the end opposite cam 39, is flattened, as at 41 to receive an adjusting knob (not shown). An L-shaped adjusting lever or cam follower member 42 is rigidly fastened, by any suitable means, to one leg of bracket 37 and extends freely through an opening in the opposite leg and into overlying relation to the spring retainer 34 and pin 35, the effective pivot for member 42 being located adjacent its point of jointure with- An abutment in the form of an adjusting screw 43 is threaded through lever 42 and bears against.

bracket 37.

Operation With the parts in the position shown in Figure 1, contacts 23 and 33 are closed and, assuming cam 39 is in its low water level position, i.e., that lever 42 is in contact ally 'reaeh a valu'e sufficient "to over ome the dewnwa u force exerted by spring 36, and willniovemeinber 19 through the lane of the tension members 20 and 21.

Moveable contact 23 will thereupon befsnapped from its position in which contacts 23 and 33 are closed" to its position at which contacts 23 and 27 are closed. In the washing machine-cycle tliisjsnap-over of the switch contact '2Zifliridicates that the washing "machine has been filled I water to the low-level correspondingtothe' setting" 39 and thevvater inlet valve has beenclosed.

bsequently appears "that the' loW level setting of give the'optiniuni water depth for the 4 in a slightly lowe'rp'ositio n than" itsp'osition in Figure 1 and will consequently provide a slightly greater spring 15ad-on'diaphragm'12 permitting the w ater in the machine to the higher level corresponding to the'rnediiii'n Water leVel-sttin g bfcani 392 small increase inv spnnfgload on diaphragm 12,

representedby the difference in depth of the'depressions' and"47' on cam 39, is, of course; insufficient to'move the snap switch from itsposition in which contacts 23' 2 7" are closed (the positionof the'switch just prior to"'movii1'g' cant-39 from its low water level position to its.

reset ng of theswitcli'as the water-level adjusting cain is 1n rm'm one position to a'notherfis accomplished by lo 6 and 48' on cam 39; As'cain 39 is moved, between law and" niediurri water level position' for example; the

lobe 4'6 depresses lever 42* momentarily; this downward movement o f'lever'eZ being sui'fici'entto cause itsfree end to contact the pin 35 and move it downwardly a s'ufiicient distancetoresetthe switch. It will be understood thatthe IobefiS similarly resets" the switches cam 39 is' moved be tween medium and high waterlevel positions; V I

: Inp'rior art devices thisfes'etting action has been ob eans" of an exaggerated downward movement nti saeo we r In'the'present invention, beeausethefreset pin 35 is p'o'sirelativelyclose"to thefiXed'end of the snap switch" a s; att re, less motion is required to reset the switch than is'eonvntionalfat the loading. spring. Additionally, the" "of th'e"machine the"water level in the" ine be increased by moving cain 39 to' its waterlev'e l position,' the"position in which lever" S s lir'depression'47l This vvill establish l'taiper34 I edium waterllevel position) to theposition in which. contacts 23 and 33 are closed (the position necessary" to' re" en the'water 'inle'tva'lve'of'the washing machine) This loading spring" retai erytb' pro'videfa"resettinffdrce cam and a rigid adjtistmenfstructure underthe'se upper end of reset pin 35 is contacted by follower 42 adiac'ent its free end, Where for a 'given" lobe 'heighf'the" maximum motion is available. Because this construction minimizes the resetting motion necessary to reset the switch, lobes 46 and 48 on cam 39 may be relatively short with a correspondingly less steep angle of attack on cam 39. The pressure switch embodying the present invention 7 thus provides an adjusting arrangement which can be easily and smoothly operated, and in which the adjustment structure'need not'be' capable ofresisting therelatively large deforming forces "provided by the steepjadjusting cam lobes of conventional pressure switches of this type.

Modifications of the present invention may occur to those skilled in the art, and this invention, therefore, is intended to be limited only by these'ope of the appended claims and the prior art. a

What is claimed is: i

l. A' pressure respohsiveeontrol comprising? a switch actuating pivotally 'moveable between a"switch'-'a"ctuafted and a reset'position'by a'switch-actuated"andia reset force respe'ctively, a p'ressu'reresponsive actuator for exerting a switch-actuating force on 'said arnrin response" to" a pressure change, a loading spring 'actingon said a'rrn' at afirs't'point thereon and adapted toresishmbvniehfof said arm into switch-actuatedposition, means for adjusting,

the resistive force exerted by'said loading spring c'onipffis' in'g a'pivotally moveable'adjusting leven'carrying anabut ment adapted to cooperate with saidloading's'pring and a manually moveable multiple p'ositioncam for movin said lever, a reset'rnember operated by said'adjustingllever at a point on said lever furtherfro'm the'efiectiv'e pivc'ytiof said lever-than said abutment, said resetmeznberapplyinga reset force to said arm ata point between said'firs'tpoint an'd'its effective pivot as said cam isn'i'annally movedfroni" one to another of its'multiple positions.v

2. A pressure responsive control comprising. a: cup.- shaped' housing, a' pressure responsive actuator ounted" across the open: face or said housing; a double-polesnap switch mouhte'd'within said 'hoiisinginclucling" switch actifatingarm pivotally moveable by said actuator froi'na= switchactuatin'g'toareset position, aloading' sprin'gflfaving. one'ofits'ends accessible from outside said housing" and" its other endfbe'a'ring'on saidar'm at a load point intermediate the ends' of said arm, and an adjusting lever pivotally mounted eXteriorly of said housing and carrying. an'abiitinent adapted to'coope'rate with said one end'oftlie loadingfspring, anda cam' cooperating'with said new manually 'moveable from afiist position tea-second tio'n' to" vary the force exerted' bysaid load sprin' '0' art-11;; resetm mter'speratea by'said" adjusting le rj at,

apoii'lt: on" said lever further" from the efie'c'tiv; said lever than said abutment, saidre'se'tmember' a reset force to said arm'et' apoint between saidfirst point and the e'fiective' piv'ot'of said arm as said cain' is" moved" betweenit's first-and second positions; a

3. A pressure responsiv" 'oo'ntr' l asclaiir'ied in claim 2' inwhic'h the" said abutment is"a'n adjust-able calibratiiin 

